Specialist wilderness equipment store Marmot Mountain Works, which opened on Adeline Street in Berkeley in 1976, will close its doors permanently in March.

Founder and owner Lock Miller said changes in consumer buying habits and the state of the economy have led to a steady decline in sales over the past 5-10 years. The lack of a snow season so far this year was the final straw, he said. Marmot’s 12-strong staff will all lose their jobs.

“The internet is like a whole stack of stores in one corner and people go there to look for the best prices,” Miller said. “It doesn’t help that people are playing golf up in Tahoe right now.”

Tom Purcell, who has managed the store for the past 15 years, said employees have been scrabbling to try to keep the store open, looking to find a possible 11th-hour investor. “I don’t have high hopes — there is a limit to the number of millionaires who want to invest in brick-and-mortar businesses. But I also believe there are people who are passionate about this type of shop,” he said. “[The closure] is going to leave a hole in the Bay Area [mountain store] scene.” … Continue reading »

A simple matter that can swiftly be handled before the Council proceeds to more important matters, yes? Not quite.

The attempt to create a naming process that updates the existing 1973 policy has been wending its way through various committees and commissions since December, 2000, when the Council asked the Parks & Recreation commission to develop a new proposal.

A detailed resolution made it to the commission in October, 2003. The Council took the commission’s recommendation and created a subcommittee. A 2005 memo from Mayor Tom Bates recommends the subcommittee “begin discussion of establishing a policy to name public facilities”.

Berkeley’s food mavens will likely be out in force tonight at the Good Food Awards at San Francisco’s Ferry Building and many of the judges for this annual event — sponsored by Seedling Projects and now in its second year — hail from this city’s gourmand ranks. But only one Berkeley name may find a place on the winners’ podium.

The concept behind this socially and ethically responsible food contest is to highlight “best in show” from five regions of the country in various edible categories. This year, prizes will go to makers of beer, charcuterie, cheese, chocolate, coffee, pickles, preserves, and — a new area — spirits.

Drunk in Public & Probation Violation Arrest – 3000 Block of Telegraph Avenue #2012-1481
An employee of a grocery store called BPD at about 10:41 a.m. on Monday, January 9, 2012 after seeing a man leave without paying for some beers. An employee detained the thief as he was climbing into a rental car in the parking lot. When BPD officers arrived, the case officer immediately noted that the suspect was impaired, had a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on him and slurred speech. When the officer began speaking with the suspect, the suspect became belligerent, aggressive and uncooperative. The grocery store employee did not want to seek prosecution, but the suspect was too intoxicated to care for himself so he was arrested for violation of 647 (f) PC- Drunk in Public. A records check revealed that the 50-year-old Berkeley man was on probation for the same offense, thus he was in violation of the terms of his probation – 1203.2 PC. The officers booked him into the BPD jail. … Continue reading »